By Celerina Monte

President Rodrigo Duterte assured on Thursday that the government is on top of the situation as Typhoon "Ulysses" battered the country.

In a televised message, Duterte renewed his call to the local government units and concerned agencies to ensure that the well being and safety of the people remain the top priority.

"My countrymen, while we are (under) heavy downpour and strong winds of Ulysses, I assure everyone that your government is on top of the situation," he said from Malago, his official residence in Malacañang Complex.

"From the beginning, various govt agencies have already been mobilized to respond to the situation on ground," he said.

He vowed that the government will do its best to provide assistance in the form of shelters, relief goods, financial aid and post disaster counseling.

"Rest assured the government will not leave anybody behind. We will get through this crisis, I assure you," Duterte said.

He cited new assets, such as fast vessels and helicopters of the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Air Force which can be used in rescue efforts.

But he said, "as the weather is still whirling, they can't work, they can't fly."

He said, however, that the people, such as soldiers have already been deployed and relief goods have been prepositioned.

Duterte also hit his critics, saying no one was sleeping.

"As I talk to you now, I just delivered the ASEAN Philippine message. I am attending a summit of the ASEAN, our participation is virtual-digital thing but all of us talked," he said.

Duterte said he could not yet move around because the Presidential Security Group and his doctors do not allow him yet.

"It’s not that I am at a distance from you...I want to go there, to swim with you. The problem is I'm being prevented, because according to them if I die, there's only one president. I told them, there's a vice president. They didn't answer, they just looked at each other," he said.

He said his staff told him that if he drowned, all of them would also drown.

Vice President Leni Robredo, Duterte's constitutional successor, is the head of the opposition Liberal Party.

Some residents in Metro Manila have experienced massive flooding due to heavy rain brought by ''Ulysses''. DMS